Fir Tree Primary School and Nursery

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 11 May 2022

Pupils are very happy at school. They enjoy their lessons because teachers think very carefully about how they will make learning engaging. Pupils feel included and valued, including those who are part of the school's specially resourced provision for pupils with autism spectrum disorder. Pupils are confident that school adults will keep them safe. Senior leaders have worked with staff to raise expectations for every child. This work started with behaviour. All pupils now understand the positive behaviours expected from them. They know that the choices they make affect the whole school community. Pupils now work together with staff to create a positive learning environment. Classrooms are settled, calm and purposeful. Pupils move around the school safely and sensibly. Pupils have developed positive attitudes towards their learning. They are proud of the work they produce. Pupils told inspectors that as a school, they stood united against bullying. They know when pupil anti-bullying ambassadors would be able to help resolve a playground worry, but they also know exactly when they would need to speak to an adult. Parents recognise the passion of staff and leaders. They say that since her appointment, the headteacher has transformed the school. Parents feel that recent improvements to the outdoor space are really making a difference, particularly following the pandemic when children were not able to play outdoors as often.

What the school should improve

• The early years curriculum is not yet fully developed. Where it is more developed, it is not being consistently implemented to enable children to benefit from meaningful learning across the seven areas of learning. This means that children in early years are not being sufficiently well prepared for the next phase of their education. Leaders must continue their work to ensure that the early years curriculum is coherently mapped and sequenced. They then must ensure that across Nursery and Reception, their intended curriculum is taught in a logical progression, systematically and in a way that is explained effectively, so that it gives children the necessary foundations for the rest of their schooling.
• Pupils, particularly the weakest readers, do not get enough practice reading and re-reading books that precisely and consistently match the letter-sound correspondences they know. This means that they are not able to practice and apply their phonics knowledge with the necessary frequency to become fluent and confident readers. Leaders must ensure that well-trained staff provide all pupils, but particularly the weakest readers, with regular opportunities to apply their phonics knowledge in the context of reading a book that is precisely matched to the letter-sound correspondences pupils know.
• In some foundation subjects, curriculum thinking is not as well developed. In these subjects, curriculum sequencing is not always logical, and it is not always clear what leaders intend pupils will learn over time in each subject. This means that teachers do not always understand what to emphasise and help pupils to retain in their long-term memories. Leaders must now ensure that all subject curriculums set out the knowledge that leaders have identified as most useful. They must ensure that this content is taught in a logical progression, systematically and explicitly enough for all pupils to acquire the intended knowledge and skills. Leaders know that they will need to continue to develop teacher subject knowledge in line with their intended curriculum. For this reason, the transitional arrangements have been applied.
• Too many pupils do not attend school well enough. Leaders, and those with responsibility for attendance, know their families extremely well and understand the range of factors that contribute to some pupils' poor attendance. Leaders are proactive and thorough in the support and challenge they provide to families in relation to attendance. As a result, some pupils' attendance is rapidly improving. Leaders need to maintain their focus on all pupils and families who are vulnerable to poor attendance, particularly where there is not an improving picture.

Read the full Ofsted report (opens in a new tab)